THE SHORT AND THE SEXY

Top Gun star Tom Cruise has been voted the ‘World’s Sexiest Short Man’. The 5’7” looker — a regular on “good looking” lists for years — has been the heartthrob of women the world over, not once flinching standing next to his 5’9” wife Katie Holmes. A t2 list of some delectable men who underline the fact that short indeed is sexy... AAMIR KHAN Bollywood’s little big man. Aamir’s height (or the lack of it) has never stopped him from scaling great heights of stardom. When it comes to creating pre-release hype and delivering box-office hits, few can tower over this midget-cum-giant. What’s more, the height only adds to his chocolate-boy appeal. Which other superstar could have played the college ‘idiot’ with so much conviction — and success — at age 44? JAMIE CULLUM He’s cute, he’s multi-talented and he’s pint-sized. English singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Jamie Cullum stands tall at just 5’4”. The 30-year-old Grammy and Golden Globe nominee who can be mistaken for a college kid is, however, unruffled by the lack of inches. “If you are in your 20s and you haven’t learned to live with the fact that you are 5ft 5 inches [he is actually 5’4”] then, God, you’ll have a hard time,” Cullum has said. What makes this small man even sexier? He recently walked down the aisle with model Sophie Dahl, who towers over him at 5’11”! BOB DYLAN Most good things do come in small packages. He may not be a looker, but Bob Dylan’s sex appeal lies someplace else. Where? The answer is, of course, Blowin In The Wind. Described as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century musically and culturally, a Dylan composition has often assumed the status of an anthem. Numerous awards and recognitions apart, Dylan’s name has even been taken in the same breath as Shakespeare, Mozart, Picasso and Dickens. Sexy? You bet! LEWIS HAMILTON He may not have the centimetres, but there is little else that Lewis Hamilton is short on. The British racer is the world’s youngest Formula One champion, already has numerous racing records to his name and has also been decorated with the coveted Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). What makes Hamilton hotter? At just 24, he is known as the Billion Dollar Man, and he is newly single! SHAHID KAPUR He isn’t really short. But when you think of the Akshays and the Abhisheks, he isn’t really tall either. At 5’7”, Shahid Kapur has to look up at most of his fellow actors (and some actresses), but that hasn’t dwarfed his popularity or appeal. Whether it is a powerpacked performance in Kaminey or playing the field with Priyanka Chopra and Vidya Balan after being dumped by Kareena Kapoor, the 28-year-old just proves that size, er, height doesn’t matter. DANIEL RADCLIFFE He’s just 20. So there is a slim chance that he might just add a couple of inches. But honestly, don’t we love Harry Potter just the way he is? What’s more, being not-so-tall is a definite advantage for the cute and vulnerable-looking English actor. He can continue playing the beautiful boy wizard on screen while going bold (in the buff) on stage. AL PACINO He is more ‘whew’ than ‘wow’. The powerful Michael Corleone in The Godfather or the ruthless Tony Montana in Scarface, Al Pacino stands tall — at just 5’7”. The Academy Award winner who has wowed both watchers and women around the world is a dynamite of talent who hasn’t ever allowed his height to become a disadvantage. He may have worn “lifts” while filming with taller co-stars, but there has never been any doubt that Pacino, now 69, has been among the tallest men in Hollywood for years. GAEL GARCIA BERNAL Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal is the stuff that teenage fantasies are made of — even if he stands at just 5’6”. The fact that there is so little of him (head to toe) has not diminished his appeal among millions of female fans. The drop-dead gorgeous man, who played Che Guevara in The Motorcycle Diaries, is sexily nonchalant about his height. “A lot of leading actors are small. Maybe you have to be small to fit into the TV,” he says, with that killer smile. LIONEL MESSI The best footballer in the world is a good six inches shorter than his closest rival, Cristiano Ronaldo. The Barcelona magician is just two inches taller than his Argentine coach Maradona, whose skill on the ball he has inherited. And he’s just too cute — unless you happen to be a hapless defender. RAHUL BOSE Everyone loves this little man. He is intelligent and articulate and is always ready to speak up for a cause. From Mallika Sherawat to Tabu to Kareena Kapoor, the 42-year-old actor has confidently shared screen space with his much taller co-stars. And he even represents India in rugby! What’s sexiest about this 5’4” actor? He can take a dig at his height. On a recent episode of Mirakkel, when an overweight contestant was punning on her extra kilos, guest judge Rahul quipped: “Now I will have to crack jokes about my height!” SPECIAL MENTION SALMAN KHAN At 5’8”, he may be much taller than most on this list, but Salman Khan has always been an esteemed member of the short-is-sexy club. With or without heels, with or without Katrina, apna Sallu is most Wanted!